3 Answers
3

Enlightenment, or Bodhi, refers to coming to a direct realization of the truth. Nibbana is the timeless state of perfect peace and happiness which occurs as a result of attaining Enlightenment, and it will occur immediately after attaining any of the four stages of enlightenment, and can be re-cultivated as well.

Parinibbana in common usage today refers to when a fully enlightened Arahat (one who has overcome all attachment and will not be reborn) undergoes bodily death. Instead of being reborn, they enter into Nibbana again, only this time they stay that way.

Does it mean that "to be enlightened" and "to be in the state of nibbana" refer to exactly the same state?
– michauAug 29 '14 at 21:31

2

@michau I'm not so sure about other traditions, but in the Classical texts of the Theravada school, the direct seeing of the truth occurs slightly before the attainment of Nibbana itself. The time lapse is inconceivably small though, so there really isn't any practical time difference. However, even though they are conjoined, they still refer to different things. Just as the taste and the texture of an apple occur along side one another inseparably and yet are different things, Enlightenment and Nibbana are distinct things that always go together.
– BakmoonAug 29 '14 at 21:36

@michau I think that answer was using the term somewhat loosely. The translation of Nibbana is extinguishment (of craving, according to context.) Enlightenment is a translation of Bodhi, not Nibbana.
– BakmoonAug 30 '14 at 16:29

1

@SankhaKulathantille Nibbana itself is uncaused. However, the attainment of Nibbana is caused. I was talking specifically about the actual attainment of Nibbana, so it is correct to speak of it as arising from a cause.
– BakmoonAug 31 '14 at 14:52

There are two components to Enlightenment: Realization (insight, awakening, Bodhi) and Liberation (unbinding, Nirvana, loss of form).

Very strong and talented people, with very few mental/emotional obscurations, determined on becoming Enlightened, and therefore diligently cleansing their minds from even slightest traces of unenlightened tendencies, attain both Bodhi and Nirvana at the same time. We call this "Sudden Enlightenment". Gautama Buddha and some famous Zen masters of the past belong to this category. When such person dies, we call it Parinirvana.

People of middling capacity(for enlightenment), with predominantly emotional obscurations, determined on unraveling the mystery of Enlightenment, and therefore diligently doing their own independent analysis, but slightly lazy about their practice, attain Realization first. Informed by the insight into the nature of phenomena, they continue working on their Liberation asymptotically, often for decades. We call this "Sudden Awakening / Gradual Cultivation". Most of the modern realized teachers belong to this category. When speaking of these we prefer to not use the honorary terms Enlightenment/Nirvana/Parinirvana.

Nirvana is a direct perception of emptiness and liberation from samsara. In the Mahayana tradition, a fully enlightened being such as Shakyamuni Buddha has gone beyond nirvana, removing all subtle obscurations, and has become omniscient. A more direct answer to your question is one difference between nirvana and enlightenment is omniscience.

I have been trying to understand what 'omniscience' would mean practically. One definition would be literally "knowing everything" which seems self-contradictory. Another would be "able to see in to anything one puts one's mind on", which seems plausible, aside from seeing into closed spaces no one has ever perceived, etc.
– user2341Dec 10 '17 at 15:57

In the Diamond Sutra the Buddha says "I know the mind of every sentient being in all the host of universes, regardless of any modes of thought, conceptions or tendencies." This is possibly what is meant by omniscience.
– jacknadDec 16 '17 at 19:34